It's an extremely good sign when I find myself struggling to step away from a game in order to write its review. That's exactly what's happened while covering Asterix: MegaSlap.

It's a slow burner, initially, much like one of my other favorites: Flight. At first, it'll be tough to see what's so compelling about it, then it'll hook one in and that'll be it for a while.

Fans of European comic books will immediately recognize the name Asterix. He's a Gaul (Frenchman) in 50 BC, fighting against the Roman occupation and helped by his magic potion. Fans of the comic books will love that this game features plenty of cameos, such as Dogmatix, Cacofonix and Fulliautomatix (yes, there is a theme!).

The gameplay is just as strong, also. Players have one simple objective: to hit a Roman as far as possible. This is done by quickly tracing one's finger in a circular movement before letting go and unleashing the punch. The Roman then goes flying through the air, sometimes as high as to reach the Gods, before coming thundering down, hitting the ground and bouncing straight back up again. It's a fun if simple mechanic, but one that's enhanced by the gradual trickle of upgrades.

Money is earned through long runs and bouncing off the heads of as many Romans, Normans, Gauls, and other wandering souls as possible. That money is then used to buy upgrades that can enhance the player's run. At first, a better cape helps the Roman go flying through the air, but it's not long before he can be aided by birds or lightning bolts. It's a gradual process unlocked through money and leveling up Asterix's punching ability. That steady trickle of new things keeps Asterix: MegaSlap quite fresh for a while to come.

Consistently offering that "just one more go" urge, Asterix: MegaSlap might not be immensely clever but it's always entertaining. A series of challenges reinforces that plentiful supply of gratification, much more so than any leaderboard based competition. Eventually, everything will be unlocked and the game effectively completed, but it'll be excellent fun getting there.

iPhone Screenshots

(click to enlarge)

iPad Screenshots

Review disclosure: note that the product reviewed on this page may have been provided to us by the developer for the purposes of this review. Note that if the developer provides the product or not, this does not impact the review or score.